SMS body is blank in Google Messages

[Tristan_Bennett]

Hello,

Several actions i've created use the "External: start a text message" action with content ready to send.

Starting a few days ago, all SMS messages opened from appsheet into google messages now have blank content. 

This appears only to be when starting an sms that opens in google messages, a 3rd party sms app does have the body of the sms embedded ready to send.

I can't uninstall google messages as it's native to my phone but have destroyed the data/cache. I have uninstalled and reinstalled appsheet. 

I'd rather not reset the phone so how could i diagnose this? It seems like it's possibly and android thing so apologies if this needs to be on a different forum. 

[WillowMobileSys]

So, just to be clear...this WAS working and now the same generated messages are showing as blank AND there have NOT been any changes to the AppSheet functionality?  Is that right?

Have you been able to confirm if other SMS readers show the messages fine or if they do show up in iOS or on a desktop??

[Tristan_Bennett]

This was working just fine, correct. 

I use many different SMS actions, one i have actually been modifying in the last week, No errors in the code reported. All sms messages across the app are coded with prepopulated body in the form of a concatenated string usually starting "Dear Mr/s....".

I'll try and describe what now happens in the scenarios that i use them with all of the SMS actions across the whole app, even those i haven't touched the code of in many many months.

Google Messages on android
SMS opens up to the correct number/contact with a blank message
- Not working as expected

A new sms app i have installed and tried yesterday called "'#Messages" on android
SMS opens up to the correct contact with the body populated
+ Working as expected

Desktop, ctrl+click the action will open the sms link in the browser and it will look like: "sms:07123 456 789?body=Hello"
+ Working as expected

I blew away all the data and cache for Google Messages app to try and solve but no joy. In the settings for Google Messages i have disabled all the fancy stuff like RCS, expressive animations, suggestions, stickers. I tried enabling them one by one to see if it solved, no joy. perhaps i have inadvertently disabled the app's ability to read the incoming string correctly another way?

I may also try to get an older version of the app.

[Tristan_Bennett]

Uninstalling updates on the Messages app and going back to factory state DOES solve this issue.

Not really a solution as updates need to happen and i wouldn't mind understanding what could be at play here.

A glitch to report to Messages team or is this appsheet needing to catch up with a new way of sending SMS.

[ASmyth]

I have this issue also. I just discovered it today. I am using the standard Android SMS app.

[nathanlo9]

I have the same issue. Has Google commented? Does anyone know of a workaround?

[Tristan_Bennett]

On Android 14, perhaps others

App Info > Hamburger Menu (top right) > Uninstall Updates

[nathanlo9]

Thanks. As you said, it's not a solution but good to know where the problem lies.